Another Rival: Mariners vs. Athletics Series Preview

Probable Pitchers

**Updated Stuff+ Explainer**

• Stuff+ scores for Mariners starters

  

  | Pitcher | IP | K% | BB% | HR/FB% | GB% | ERA | FIP | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | J.T. Ginn | 90.1 | 25.3% | 7.9% | 21.5% | 52.7% | 5.08 | 4.62 | | Emerson Hancock | 90 | 16.6% | 8.1% | 15.2% | 43.0% | 4.90 | 5.08 | | Pitch | Usage vRHB | Usage vLHB | Velocity | Stuff+ | Whiff+ | BIP+ | xwOBA | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Sinker | 61.4% | 40.9% | 93.4 | 109 | 155 | 116 | 0.312 | | Cutter | 3.7% | 25.1% | 92.0 | 76 | 82 | 105 | 0.334 | | Changeup | 1.8% | 18.7% | 88.5 | 87 | 155 | 111 | 0.259 | | Slider | 33.1% | 15.3% | 86.1 | 90 | 116 | 110 | 0.266 | J.T. Ginn has spent the last few seasons bouncing between the rotation and the bullpen for the A’s. He’s dealt with a number of injuries over the years, stunting his development, but the stuff models really love his sinker-slider combo. He gets a ton of groundballs with those two pitches and can turn to a pretty good changeup to get a whiff if he needs it. Considering the problems the A’s have had developing mid-rotation arms, and Ginn’s penchant for groundball contact, it’s surprising they haven’t given him a longer look in the rotation. | Pitcher | IP | K% | BB% | HR/FB% | GB% | ERA | FIP | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Jacob Lopez | 92.2 | 28.3% | 9.3% | 12.6% | 27.5% | 4.08 | 4.26 | | Luis Castillo | 180.2 | 21.7% | 6.2% | 10.5% | 41.3% | 3.54 | 3.88 | | Pitch | Usage vRHB | Usage vLHB | Velocity | Stuff+ | Whiff+ | BIP+ | xwOBA | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Four-seam | 34.5% | 38.1% | 90.8 | 97 | 131 | 91 | 0.305 | | Sinker | 6.2% | 6.0% | 90.2 | 87 | 143 | 73 | 0.486 | | Cutter | 16.7% | 6.5% | 87.6 | 91 | 83 | 90 | 0.332 | | Changeup | 16.4% | 2.3% | 82.8 | 82 | 100 | 119 | 0.279 | | Slider | 26.1% | 47.2% | 78.1 | 112 | 99 | 97 | 0.253 | Jacob Lopez was a surprise last year. Never regarded as a top prospect, and a throw-in in the Jeffrey Springs trade a few years ago, he had a stretch of 13 starts last summer where he ran a 2.64 ERA and a 3.08 FIP. He ran into the Mariners on August 24, allowed nine runs, and was placed on the IL with an elbow strain the next day. His raw stuff just isn’t that impressive; his fastball barely averages 90 mph and a slow looping slider is hardly optimized for whiffs. Still, some deception in his throwing motion allows his stuff to play up a bit. | Pitcher | IP | K% | BB% | HR/FB% | GB% | ERA | FIP | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Aaron Civale | 102 | 20.2% | 7.6% | 11.3% | 34.0% | 4.85 | 4.63 | | Logan Gilbert | 131 | 32.3% | 5.8% | 14.8% | 38.9% | 3.44 | 3.35 | | Pitch | Usage vRHB | Usage vLHB | Velocity | Stuff+ | Whiff+ | BIP+ | xwOBA | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Four-seam | 12.5% | 18.3% | 92.1 | 85 | 91 | 75 | 0.328 | | Sinker | 20.2% | 13.9% | 92.3 | 77 | 110 | 135 | 0.329 | | Cutter | 34.0% | 36.0% | 89.2 | 95 | 107 | 106 | 0.334 | | Splitter | 1.2% | 9.8% | 85.7 | 68 | 51 | 66 | 0.213 | | Curveball | 18.4% | 19.5% | 77.7 | 116 | 84 | 121 | 0.275 | | Slider | 13.7% | 2.5% | 83.3 | 90 | 50 | 98 | 0.344 | The A’s signed Aaron Civale in February to give them another veteran innings eater while their top pitching prospects continue to develop in the minors. Pitching for his sixth team in four years, he’s a prototypical back-end starter with a deep repertoire. He doesn’t stand out in any one area, but average skills across the board help him work through a lineup a couple of times without courting disaster. His best pitch is a hammer curveball and he’ll mix in five other pitches to keep batters off balance.

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